Sister’s Unite for Women’s History Month

By Nirvana Habash

This March, Center for Community Solutions wants to acknowledge the work of women past and present. From award winning actresses and directors to teenage revolutionaries— here are some of our favorite women through the decades. We honor you all as part of our Sisters Unite Campaign.

We could not be prouder to announce that academy award winning actress, Marlee Matlin, will be CCS’ keynote speaker at our annual tea on April 26th. Marlee is a hero who has shaped mainstream media by making a place for hard-of-hearing and deaf people on TV and film. You can catch Marlee on the ABC show, Switched at Birth, or see her in person at CCS’ 2013 Tea & Tonic.

Today we honor our co-founders, Carol Council and Joyce Nower, who helped create one of the first domestic violence shelters ever and the very first women’s studies program in the United States. You both sparked an

Tina Fey Rocks! She has worked hard to redefine the image of women in the media by acting, writing, and out-clevering others on her way to the top. She is funny, honest and figured out how to have her cake and eat it too. We think she’s a powerhouse.

It is thanks to women like Kathryn Bigelow that all of us can realize there are NO limits to what we can achieve. In 2012, Kathryn became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. TIME Magazine raves that she is “the finest action director at work today”. That’s no small victory!

At a young age, Margaret Cho embarked on her path toward fame. Her comedic genius earned her the respect of many and got her a sitcom. Since then, Margaret has used her personal experiences to become outspoken on issues affecting all women starting at a young age: body image, bullying, independence. She’s a prime example of someone who chooses to improve the world by sharing her

CCS is proud to highlight Ellen & Portia as two awesome women in the cause for equality. Celebrities have an opportunity to shed light on important issues and these two have used their love to garner support of the gay and lesbian community. We wish you a long and happy marriage!

Women’s History Month is about those who have made and ARE making history. Recognized in 2006 by Forbes as the #17 most powerful women in the world, Michelle Bachelet is revered has having broken barriers in becoming Chile’s first female President.

SHERYL SANDBERG

Sheryl Sandberg is a triple threat: she’s business savvy, she’s a brilliant COO at Facebook, and now she’s practically a motivational speaker. She dares to ask us all to LEAN IN and stop sitting on the sidelines. Leading by example, she’s on the brink of becoming today’s most symbolic leader of the women’s movement for equality. “I truly believe that only when we get real equality in our governments, in our businesses, in our companies and our universities, will we start to solve this generation’s central moral problem, which is gender equality.”

When Marian Wright Edelman settled in Missisppi as the only female lawyer of her time, she knew it would be her opportunity to make a difference. After all this time, she has never given up. Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, Marian made it her mission to improve the lives of children. In 2009, she spoke at CCS’ 10th Annual Tea — we owe so much gratitude to her and hope you will join our

Who doesn’t know and love Mary Kay Cosmetics? She started with $5,000 and turned it into an internationally recognized, multi-million dollar brand. This is a story of success even after failure, as Mary Kay Ash was a business woman in a world dominated by men. Her legacy inspires others to never give up!

Oprah may just be the name heard ‘round the world. After decades as the leading talk show host, dealing with the most historically significant topics, interviewing people almost as famous as she is, and impacting the lives of viewers and admirers everywhere, Oprah decided to retire from her show….to

CCS was honored to have Gloria Steinem speak at our #### Tea on the Town. She is honest, passionate, and dedicated to the cause of women’s rights. Her revolutionary views have paved a new path for women in the United States. Founder of Ms. Magazine, Gloria provided a platform for women to create open dialogue on sexual harassment, domestic violence, body image issues, and so much more.

More than 50 years after she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, a Rosa Parks statue was revealed in the Capitol to honor her courageous efforts to end segregation. What began as a simple act following a long, hard day’s work, turned into a powerful civil rights movement that transformed the entire country. Rosa Parks is a true champion of equal rights.

Malala Yousafzai is a 15-year old champion of women’s rights all over the world. After being shot by the Taliban for speaking out against the injust treatment of Pakistani women, Malala made an incredible recovery. She is now the youngest person to ever be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.